---
path: docs/layers/basemaps
title: "Basemaps"
desc: "Switch between built-in and custom basemaps."
date: "Apr 2, 2026"
---

# Basemaps

Basemaps provide the background context for your map data. GISOwl includes several built-in options and supports custom tile sources.

## Built-in Basemaps

- **Street** — A clean, general-purpose street map.
- **Satellite** — High-resolution aerial and satellite imagery.
- **Terrain** — Elevation shading with contour lines and labels.
- **Dark** — A dark-themed map for data visualization contrast.
- **Light** — A minimal, light-toned base with subtle labels.
- **Blank** — No basemap. Useful for thematic maps where the base is irrelevant.

## Switching Basemaps

Click the **Basemap** button in the toolbar or press `B`. A picker shows thumbnails of all available basemaps. Click to switch. The change applies instantly.

## Custom Basemaps

Add your own basemap by providing an XYZ tile URL, WMTS endpoint, or Mapbox style URL. Go to **Basemap > Add Custom** and paste the URL. Custom basemaps are saved to your workspace and available across all maps.

## Basemap Labels

Toggle place labels on or off for any basemap. When labels are off, your data and annotations stand out more clearly. Control this from **Basemap > Show Labels**.

## Next Steps

- [Styling](/docs/layers/styling) — Style your data layers.
- [Map Settings](/docs/dashboards-and-apps/map-settings) — Configure default basemap and projection.